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THE PARTICIPANTS OF THE PRESIDENTIAL RACE ARE NOT CLEAR YET
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 1 2006
The debates on the draft constitution in Karabakh go on. They also
continue connecting the constitutional process with the presidential
election in 2007. First because though President Ghukasyan announced
that he would not run a third term running, a number of circumstances
show that such attempts may be taken, nevertheless. And this completely
changes the political sphere and the direction of developments. We
asked Gegham Baghdasaryan, member of ARF Dashnaktsutyun-Movement
88, the oppositionist parliamentary group of NKR to comment on the
current situation.
The member of parliament says the race for the post of president
has already started. "The point is that as long as it is not clear
if the president will run in the election, the potential candidates
do not feel free. And in fact, the problem of the president has not
been solved yet. Although Arkady Ghukasyan stated on October 11 that
he is unlikely to run in the election, a number of facts show that
this is not so. Namely the leader of the Democratic faction of the
ruling Democratic Party Vahram Atanesyan announced after the statement
of the president that after the adoption of the Constitution "the
president will round up the representatives of the political forces
and announce about his final decision". In other words, this statement
was not the final decision. Gagik Petrosyan, the representative of the
Hayrenik faction of the second force in the parliament, stated that
the provision in the draft constitution, which enables the president to
run a third term, will not be withdrown. Therefore, it will be possible
to discuss the topic of the candidates only after the adoption of the
Constitution and the "final decision". If the president is nominated,
there will hardly be any candidates from the pro-governmental wing. If
not, there will be a number of candidates," Gegham Baghdasaryan said.
The member of parliament reminded that only the NGOs undertake talks
about the possible candidates in Karabakh. The Open Society NGO,
for instance, conducted a public poll, and Speaker Ashot Ghulyan was
given the highest popular rating. Afterwards, the same organization in
association with the Press Club of Stepanakert conducted a survey among
16 experts. And new leaders have appeared: the deputy foreign minister
Masis Mayilyan 4 votes, the head of the State Security Service Bako
Sahakyan 4 votes, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan 3 votes, the leader
of the ARF-Movement 88 parliamentary group Armen Sargsyan 2 votes,
the former defense minister Samvel Babayan 1 vote, the leader of the
Karabakh movement 1 vote, the former member of parliament Nerses
Ohanjanyan 1 vote. "It is interesting that people appeared in the
leading places of the survey, who work in the government agencies. This
is first of all explained by the existence of "an administrative
opposition". The others think that these people have greater
possibilities for public politics. There is another circumstance: the
experts have evaluated the real chances of the possible candidates. It
is also interesting that there is an oppositionist among the leaders,
Armen Sargsyan," said Gegham Baghdasaryan.
Gegham Baghdasaryan thinks that after the adoption of the
Constitution the political parties will have meetings and decide
on their standpoint. "The political parties have appeared in a very
difficult situation. The recent maneuvers of the president slow down
the establishment of the political sphere. People do not feel free,
and cannot open the cards. Although, we have learned that some people
have already started the pre-election campaign," said the member
of parliament.
Lragir, Armenia
Nov 1 2006
The debates on the draft constitution in Karabakh go on. They also
continue connecting the constitutional process with the presidential
election in 2007. First because though President Ghukasyan announced
that he would not run a third term running, a number of circumstances
show that such attempts may be taken, nevertheless. And this completely
changes the political sphere and the direction of developments. We
asked Gegham Baghdasaryan, member of ARF Dashnaktsutyun-Movement
88, the oppositionist parliamentary group of NKR to comment on the
current situation.
The member of parliament says the race for the post of president
has already started. "The point is that as long as it is not clear
if the president will run in the election, the potential candidates
do not feel free. And in fact, the problem of the president has not
been solved yet. Although Arkady Ghukasyan stated on October 11 that
he is unlikely to run in the election, a number of facts show that
this is not so. Namely the leader of the Democratic faction of the
ruling Democratic Party Vahram Atanesyan announced after the statement
of the president that after the adoption of the Constitution "the
president will round up the representatives of the political forces
and announce about his final decision". In other words, this statement
was not the final decision. Gagik Petrosyan, the representative of the
Hayrenik faction of the second force in the parliament, stated that
the provision in the draft constitution, which enables the president to
run a third term, will not be withdrown. Therefore, it will be possible
to discuss the topic of the candidates only after the adoption of the
Constitution and the "final decision". If the president is nominated,
there will hardly be any candidates from the pro-governmental wing. If
not, there will be a number of candidates," Gegham Baghdasaryan said.
The member of parliament reminded that only the NGOs undertake talks
about the possible candidates in Karabakh. The Open Society NGO,
for instance, conducted a public poll, and Speaker Ashot Ghulyan was
given the highest popular rating. Afterwards, the same organization in
association with the Press Club of Stepanakert conducted a survey among
16 experts. And new leaders have appeared: the deputy foreign minister
Masis Mayilyan 4 votes, the head of the State Security Service Bako
Sahakyan 4 votes, NKR President Arkady Ghukasyan 3 votes, the leader
of the ARF-Movement 88 parliamentary group Armen Sargsyan 2 votes,
the former defense minister Samvel Babayan 1 vote, the leader of the
Karabakh movement 1 vote, the former member of parliament Nerses
Ohanjanyan 1 vote. "It is interesting that people appeared in the
leading places of the survey, who work in the government agencies. This
is first of all explained by the existence of "an administrative
opposition". The others think that these people have greater
possibilities for public politics. There is another circumstance: the
experts have evaluated the real chances of the possible candidates. It
is also interesting that there is an oppositionist among the leaders,
Armen Sargsyan," said Gegham Baghdasaryan.
Gegham Baghdasaryan thinks that after the adoption of the
Constitution the political parties will have meetings and decide
on their standpoint. "The political parties have appeared in a very
difficult situation. The recent maneuvers of the president slow down
the establishment of the political sphere. People do not feel free,
and cannot open the cards. Although, we have learned that some people
have already started the pre-election campaign," said the member
of parliament.